Every once in a while, a motorcycle comes along that seems unconventional, but makes a huge impact on the market. The Ducati Diavel exemplifies this statement better than any other bike available today. The Diavel falls into a completely new segment, or rather it makes a segment of its own, for it combines the cruising pleasure of a tourer with the power punch of a superbike and the handling capabilities of a naked sports bike. And in its latest iteration – the all-new Diavel 1260 – it has been completely redesigned.
When we rode this bike at the global press ride in Spain, on some of the most fascinating roads in the world, we were completely awestruck by its riding capabilities. You don’t need to look at the details of this bike’s design to realise that it’s a phenomenon – it looks like something straight out of a superhero movie. Sporting the highest level of quality and a phenomenal road presence, the new Diavel is, without a shred of doubt, the most radical bike launch of the year.
At the heart of this motorcycle lies a marvel of engineering – the 1,262cc twin-cylinder desmodromic engine, with Ducati Testastretta DVT. The engine produces a whopping 159bhp and 129Nm of torque. The power delivery is instant, and the torque delivery is extremely linear at low revs and kicks in at higher revs just like it does in sports bikes.
The Diavel is also packed with the best tech that you could ask for, such as Ducati digital control options, a six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit, DQS clutchless shifting, a ride-by-wire throttle, adjustable cornering ABS, wheelie control, and traction control.
For its size, the bike handles really well. The riding position is simply perfect, irrespective of your riding style. And on some sections of tarmac, it doesn’t shy from amazing you with its incredible handling abilities. Of course, because of the sheer size of this bike, you would never expect it to clock the quickest lap time. But it did register one of the highest scores in the ‘X-Factor’ category, as you would imagine. However, it’s very expensive and not the most practical. With a total of 74.9 points, the Diavel is one of the top contenders in our jury round this year, because it remains a machine that will give you an out-of-this-world experience – but only if you can afford it!
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